Pig health programme takes off

Pig producers have wasted no time in signing up to improve pig health in East Anglia. Now, in a further boost to progress for the Eastern Pig Health (EPH) scheme, a brand new website provides a single port of call for producers to get information and join up: www.pighealth.org.uk.

Producers are working together on a plan to improve long-term health and biosecurity on their units by sharing information with others in the scheme.

Everyone who signs up to EPH will benefit from access to an online map of pig units and herd health status information, free diagnostic testing, improved biosecurity, online management tools and disease alerts.

EPH Steering Group Chairman Philip Richardson said: “It's an exciting position to be in. We're seeing greater transparency between producers than ever before. The first producers to sign up have agreed it has to be 'all or nothing' and are willing to give full disclosure of health status on their units to other members of Eastern Pig Health.”

There are four initial steps for producers and their vets.

1. The producer registers online at www.pighealth.org.uk and agrees terms and conditions

2. The producer signs a disclosure form giving permission for their vet to disclose disease status to EPH

3. Their vet assesses their unit using a standard protocol, usually combined with a quarterly visit, and enters health status details on the EPH website (EPH subsidises the additional veterinary cost).

4. The producer has full access to a map of all signed-up producers, disease status information and EPH support services.

There will be support and advice from BPEX, specialist advisers, vets and other producers.

For those without internet access and to discuss the project further please contact Eastern Pig Health Co-ordinator Ross Lake by calling 07792 681203 or emailing ross.lake@bpex.org.uk. An information pack including the registration documents can be posted to producers.

The registration process makes it clear what producers are agreeing to at each stage and password protection and permission forms are used to ensure confidentiality. Eastern Pig Health is funded by the East of England Development Agency and BPEX.